Tim Muehlhoff, a communications professor at Biola University, dives into the role of empathy in today’s society, questioning if it’s being weaponized to sway Christian beliefs. The discussion tackles the balance between genuine compassion and accountability, especially towards offenders. Muehlhoff highlights the moral limits of empathy within biblical texts and critiques contemporary feminism, advocating for nuance. He emphasizes the need for empathy to coexist with truth in Christian communication, ensuring that compassion doesn’t compromise biblical values.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Seven-Week Empathy Dialogue Anecdote
Tim Muehlhoff led a seven-week empathy-based dialogue between conservative Christians and gay community members.
Although no one changed minds, it transformed the tone of the conversation to openness and respect.
insights INSIGHT
Empathy's Cultural Decline Insight
Empathy is widely recognized as declining sharply in American culture today.
Its vilification may underpin a dangerous dehumanization threatening multicultural democracy.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Communicate With Empathy and Love
Communicate truth with love and empathy to lower walls and foster listening.
Shape conversations for relational connection, not just content delivery.
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How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself
Brian Fikkert
Steve Corbett
This book addresses the complexities of poverty and how some well-intentioned efforts can inadvertently do more harm than good. It provides strategies for effective poverty alleviation, emphasizing the importance of empowering the materially poor and recognizing the dignity in everyone. The authors focus on both North American and Majority World contexts, highlighting that sustainable change comes from within the communities rather than from external interventions.
Toxic Charity
Robert Lupton
Toxic Empathy
How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion
Allie Beth Stuckey
In 'Toxic Empathy', Allie Beth Stuckey explores how progressives exploit Christian compassion by using empathy as a tool of manipulation. She delves into five heated issues: abortion, gender, sexuality, immigration, and social justice. Stuckey argues that progressives use catchy mantras to present their perspectives as empathetic, while ignoring the other side of the moral equation. The book is about submitting empathy to God’s definitions of love, goodness, and justice, equipping Christians with research-backed, Biblical truths to dismantle progressive lies that have permeated culture and the church.
End the Stalemate
End the Stalemate
Tim Muehlhoff
Justin Brierley
Sean McDowell
The Sin of Empathy
Compassion and Its Counterfeits
Joe Rigney
In this book, Joe Rigney argues that while empathy is often seen as a virtuous trait, it can also be a tool for manipulation and a source of harm. Rigney distinguishes between empathy and sympathy, suggesting that empathy involves joining people in their darkness and distress without making judgments, whereas sympathy involves showing compassion while maintaining a sense of boundaries and truth. He discusses how unregulated empathy can lead to emotional blackmail, selectivity, and cruelty, and how it has been exploited in various contexts, including under the progressive gaze and within feminist and church settings. The book emphasizes the importance of genuine compassion that is grounded in truth and justice.
Is empathy being weaponized by Progressives to manipulate Christians into adopting certain ethical and political views? Is empathy a virtue, or merely an emotion that is sometimes a valuable and important means of loving people? There have been a myriad of Christians books and podcasts on this topic, and so Sean has invited Biola communications professor Tim Muehlhoff to discuss and debate these issues and more. Enjoy!
Tim Muehlhoff received his Ph.D. in Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is a professor of Communications at Biola University. He is a popular public speaker and the author of many books including End the Stalemate, which he co-wrote with Sean McDowell.
Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9-11, 2025. Hosted by Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in Southern California. Learn more and register at https://www.biola.edu/anchored
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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.
To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.
Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture 
